Red light cameras could be coming to Durham

Police to request enforcement tool prevalent in other municipalities

SIDEBAR

Durham's most dangerous intersections

Durham Region evaluates intersections and road segments based on a potential for safety improvement (PSI) index which factors in the number of collisions, their severity and traffic volume.

Currently, data is only available for 2010 and in that year, the Kingston Road and Whites Road intersection in Pickering ranked as the most dangerous in the region, with the highest score among signalized intersections at 32.5. The next year, in 2011, that intersection had 59 collisions, the fourth highest number in Durham, according to police.

DURHAM -- Durham police are looking at red light cameras as a way to curb high collision rates in Ajax and Pickering.

During a presentation to Ajax council on Jan. 28 Staff Sergeant Jeff Haskins said Durham Regional Police have visited the red light camera centre in Toronto and are hoping to start a pilot program in Ajax and Pickering. They will be asking the Region to consider it after the next municipal election in 2014.

"It's very unusual, we're bringing it to the Region and the Region not bringing it to us,"he said, noting Regional council considered a recommendation for red light cameras in 2005, but voted against them due to the high cost involved.

Staff Sgt. Haskins noted that since that time"the technology has changed.

"The reality is 17 of the top 20 accident intersections are in Ajax and Pickering," he said, noting the delay until after the next election will allow time to study all the data.

"We're not ready to introduce this yet. We want to get it right. We want to make sure we have all the data correct."

Bob Szwarz, manager of traffic engineering and operations for the Region of Durham, remembers the original report that came before Regional council.

"The thinking at the time was to wait and see where the technology was going to proceed because it was very new and very costly," Mr. Szwarz explained.

On Jan. 24, York Region became the latest municipality to approve the installation of red light cameras, joining Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo, and other municipalities.

Staff Sgt. Haskins said intersections with a red light camera have a 60 per cent lower accident rate, and once cameras are installed there's a 40 per cent reduction in collisions at all intersections.

While red light cameras may curb collisions in some municipalities, Mr. Szwarz says they may not be appropriate for Durham.

"Our traffic problems are considerably different," he said, noting traffic volumes in Durham are much lower and traffic flow is quite different than York or Toronto.

"These would only be effective at high-collision intersections where red light running is an identified problem."

While he was unable to suggest any problem intersections that could benefit from cameras, Mr. Szwarz noted that higher volume intersections along Hwy. 2 would be likely candidates.

Mr. Szwarz said his department is constantly looking at measures to improve road safety in the region, and red light cameras will be given another review as part of an upcoming comprehensive roadway safety strategy review.

"We're looking at ways to manage roadways and traffic flows and looking at what tools we have in the toolbox to do that," Mr. Szwarz explained.

"I suspect the report will speak to red light cameras or photo enforcement as one of the tools we could use."

Should red light cameras be recommended for use in Durham, by either Regional staff or Durham police, the proposal would have to go before Regional council for approval before any installation could begin.
-- with files from Keith Gilligan